


Whumptober 2019

by Anonymous



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Adopted Children, Adult Content, Alternate Universe - No Girlfriends/No Wives, Angst, Bunkers, Established Relationship, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, Homophobia, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Injuries, Near Drowning, One Shot Collection, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pneumonia, Post-Apocalypse, Romance, Sickfic, Suggestive Themes, Swimming Pools, Tunnel collapse, Whumptober, Whumptober 2019, kid or teen Rhett and Link
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-14 21:10:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20854253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: I’m not cut out for Kinktober, so I decided to try my hand at Whumptober. Most stories are probably going to be more fluffy than super angsty, but we will see.





	1. Cross the Pool (Shaky Hands)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 Prompt: Shaky hands.
> 
> This chapter is loosely inspired by a More called Not Having Fun in the Pool, in which Rhett talks about his childhood love of swimming and pool games, and Link shares his dislike of pool games and his fear of drowning. It’s actually a really cute episode. There are some references to it here. Rhett said he didn’t know that Link was scared, and he wishes he could back and talk to Link about his fear and make him feel better, but at the time he was too obsessed with winning to notice. They didn’t specify how old they were at the time they were talking about in the video, so I decided to go with the early teen years. I imagine them being around 13/14 here.
> 
> Note: If something like this ever happens for real, don’t wait for a family member or anyone to else to take the person to the hospital. Immediately call 911 or whatever the emergency number is in your country. Get help right away.

“Come on, Link. Just one game of Cross the Pool and then you can go back to organizing your brochure collection,” Rhett begged. He put on his biggest frown like he was hurt by Link refusing to swim with him, but he was mostly just confused. Link never wanted to play in the pool, and he didn’t understand why. “It will be fun, I promise.”

“Can’t. I don’t have my swim trunks on,” Link said. He looked up at Rhett from his spot in the shade for a moment before going back to shuffling around his travel brochures, putting them in order from the places he most wanted to visit, to the places he never wanted to set foot.

“My mom always keeps an extra pair for me in her pool bag. I’ll go get them for you if you’ll swim with me,” Rhett offered.

“Your trunks are too big for me. I’d be mermaiding around in the pool with them down around my ankles.”

“Stop being so dramatic.” Rhett rolled his eyes. “They have a string in the waist, so you can make them fit. Come on. I’ll let you win if you play.” Anticipation made his heart pound as he watched other kids jump into the pool and make waves. He needed to be in there. It looked like an older girl named Sally was trying to start up the first game, and he didn’t want to miss out.

“I don’t care about winning, you know that,” Link said. “You go play, and maybe we can watch a movie together later or something.”

“Link, please? Just once.” Desperation made Rhett’s tongue sharp as squeals of joy and calls of Marco Polo reached his ears. “I won’t be your friend anymore if you don’t play.”

There was a flash of hurt in Link’s blue eyes, and then he looked away and stood up. “Fine. I’ll play.”

Rhett instantly regretted his words, but he didn’t have time to take them back. The smell of the overly-chlorinated water called to him. He grabbed Link’s wrist and towed him over to get his spare swim trunks, and then he ushered him into the bathroom to change. Rhett waited by the shallow end, tapping his foot while he watched the current game wind down.

Link reappeared just in time for Rhett to announce that they were going to play Cross the Pool. “Link is going to be it first!” he called, as they entered the water together and swam across the pool.

“I don’t want to go out too deep,” Link said. He stuck close to Rhett despite his words, trailing just behind.

“Stay here then, and close your eyes. We have to try to swim past you from one side to the other without getting tagged.” Rhett crossed the rest of the pool in a few short strides, quickly reaching the starting end. As soon as everyone else was ready, he shouted, “Go!”

Rhett was like a shark as he slid through the water, rocketing past the other kids. He slipped past Link with ease and touched the side of the pool, turning around to watch the others cross the pool with a triumphant grin. Except they weren’t moving.

“What is he doing?” a kid Rhett didn’t know asked. The sound reached his ears before the meaning did. What was who doing? That’s when he realized that he didn’t see Link anywhere in the pool. His blood ran cold as he searched for his best friend under the water. A dark form was visible near the middle of the pool, floating near the bottom.

Rhett moved without thinking, diving down and grabbing hold of the t-shirt Link had kept on. He pulled him to the surface and dragged him out of the pool and up onto the side. “Help!” he bellowed, unable to take his eyes from Link’s limp form. His eyelashes were long and dark against his pale skin, and Rhett felt tears well in his own eyes. How could he have been so immature and selfish?

It seemed to take hours before anyone else approached them. A man said something to him in a deep, authoritative tone, but Rhett couldn’t understand him. He touched Link’s cheek, willing him to breathe. He almost screamed when Link took a deep breath and coughed. “L- Link? Are you okay?”

Link opened his eyes and burst into a gasping cry. His shaky hands clawed at Rhett’s back as he pulled himself up into a sitting position. He didn’t let go, but dug his fingers in instead, holding on to Rhett for dear life as tears and beads of water dripped from his chin.

Rhett tried to find the right words as his mom approached and pulled Link away from Rhett. She wrapped him up in a towel and led him to a chair that was as far away from the water as possible, speaking softly to him. Another adult said they would call Link’s mom to come and get him, and that he should probably go to the ER and get checked out.

Rhett pulled his knees to his chest as all of the other kids picked up their game again once the moment was over, splashing away like nothing had happened. He was too old to cry, but he did anyway, hoping the water would hide his tears. He was the worst best friend ever, and Link would never forgive him.

He dragged his feet when Link’s mom appeared outside the gate, knowing that she would want an explanation from him. “Link almost drowned because of me. I made him get in the water when he didn’t want to,” he said, a sob breaking his voice, and watched as her eyes grew big. She pushed through the gate and hurried over to Link, not responding to him. “I’m really sorry,” he said to the air, and sank to the ground again.

————

He didn’t expect to see Link again for a while, but the next day, Link knocked on his door around noon just like he always did on the weekends. When Rhett opened the door, he was immediately pulled into a tight hug. “You saved me,” Link said, his arms around Rhett’s waist. “I thought I was going to die, but then there you were, pulling me to the surface. The doctor said I’m fine, but I might not have been if you hadn’t gotten me out right away.”

Rhett hugged Link back, soaking up the feeling of being close to him. He usually wasn’t one for hugs, but right now he never wanted to let Link go. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“What are you sorry for? Didn’t you hear what I just said?” Link pulled away enough to look up at Rhett’s face. “You saved my life.”

“But it’s my fault you were in the water. I knew you didn’t want to play, but I made you get in anyway. I said I wouldn’t be your friend anymore if you didn’t play with us.” Tears stung Rhett’s eyes and he blinked rapidly, trying to keep them from falling. “I don’t know why you’re here right now. You should hate me.”

“Rhett, I could never hate you,” Link said. His voice sounded much wiser than his years. “We’ve been best friends forever. I know you didn’t really mean it when you said that. I decided to play because I wanted to make you happy, not because of a stupid empty threat. And I got in over my head and panicked. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Really?” Rhett asked in a tiny voice. “You’re not mad?”

“Really, bo. I promise,” Link said as he went in for another hug, and Rhett happily accepted. “But I think I’ll just stay at home when you go to the pool from now on. Swimming isn’t really my thing.”

“Or I’ll hang out with you instead of going. I don't want you to be lonely or left out anymore,” Rhett said. He held Link tightly for a long moment, and then pulled away. “You want to bake cookies? We can pick the chocolate chips out.”

“Okay!” Link grinned and moved to walk into Rhett’s house, an air of happiness about him.

Rhett couldn’t really explain the burst of protectiveness and love that bloomed in his heart right then, but he knew that he never wanted Link to be upset or in danger because of him ever again. He’d be happy just to see that smile every day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am writing these as I go, so there are no guarantees of quality or my ability to successfully complete them all, but I’m going to try my best.


	2. Strength and Sorrow (Explosion)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 Prompt: Explosion.
> 
> This one is set in a post-apocalyptic community. I’m not entirely happy with it, but I decided to post it anyway so I wouldn’t fall behind. It’s probably a mess.

Rhett was just settling into his chair at the head of the community planning table when he heard the first rumble. “What was that?” he asked, looking around at the other people who had helped to build and organize the underground compound they now called home.

“It sounded like thunder to me,” John said, shrugging. He was an older grandfatherly man, and was highly trained in survival. He had been invaluable to Rhett when they had worked out how to provide clean water for drinking and bathing, as well as a sanitary sewage system for the compound. Life would never be the same as it was before the world had ended, but they had it good now, especially compared to the first few years when everyone had been stuck in small bunkers until the radiation levels dropped to safe limits. They still spent most of their time underground as an extra safety precaution, but seeing the sunlight at least once a day brought peace to Rhett’s mind.

Rhett nodded and flipped open his notebook. He tapped his pen against the desk twice to get everyone’s attention. “So, we’ll open this meeting with-“ He was cut off by an explosion that shook the furniture and made the lights flicker. Rhett bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood, but he didn’t care about the pain as he stood from the table, one person on his mind. “Link!”

He took off from the room, running through the hallways as fast as he could go, shoving past people who stood still in shock or fear, and ignoring those who asked him what was going on. He found the answer when he reached the small residential hallway where his own home was located. It had not been an explosion. The tunnel had collapsed, leaving the hallway completely blocked.

His husband was in there. Their children were in there. His family. He had to get through and find them. A desperate scream tore from his chest as he began to dig into the pile of rock and dirt. The more he dug, the more dirt fell to replace what he removed. He was getting nowhere, but he couldn’t give up. They couldn’t be dead. He would be lost without them.

“Rhett, stop. We don’t know what caused this yet. More might collapse,” John said, his voice coming from behind Rhett. “You know what we have to do.”

“No,” Rhett said, his voice as hard as steel. “No. I am the founder of this community, and I can change the rules whenever I want to. We can’t wait. We have to dig them out right now! My family is in there!”

“I’m sorry, Rhett, but lots of people are in there. For now, we have to follow the protocol and keep everyone else safe.”

Rhett ignored John and started to dig again. A crowd began to form around them, and soon others joined him in digging, all of them desperate to get through to their loved ones. There was another rumble as more of the tunnel collapsed in the distance. Rhett’s mind conjured up images of Link, broken and bleeding, gasping for air as his chest was crushed under the weight of thousands of pounds of dirt. There was no way he could have survived the collapse.

Link was dead. Rhett could feel it in his bones.

He stopped clawing at the dirt. “Stop. We have to stop,” he said to the other people who were still digging. John was right. They had to let the dirt settle before they tried to dig through. He almost wanted the earth to swallow him up because it would be better than going on without his other half, but he couldn’t let more people die. “Stop! Everyone, stop! It’s incredibly dangerous to be in this part of the tunnel right now. I want everyone to head to the cafeteria. Tell everyone you pass to go with you. Someone will address the situation later. Go now!”

“Rhett-“ John started.

“I can’t go. I don’t know what I would say to them, and they’re all going to want answers from me.” Rhett looked at John and saw kindness in the old man’s eyes. “Please. I can’t. Not while they’re...”

John nodded. “I’ll do a head count and send the builders out to evaluate. You need to take care of yourself. Why don’t you stay at my house for now?” He dug around in his pocket and pulled out his keys. “Here you go. Try to stay calm. We don’t really know what the situation is yet.”

Rhett took the keys and walked away from the destroyed tunnel. He entered John’s small home and locked the door behind him. He couldn’t get the images of Link dying out of his head. He swore that he could hear his husband’s dying breaths from the other side of the compound. He leaned over the kitchen sink and spat out a mouthful of blood. He’d forgotten about biting his tongue.

What would he do without Link? They had known and loved each other for over thirty years. He wouldn’t be able to function on his own. Then his thoughts turned to his daughters. The twin girls that he and Link had adopted shortly after their birth. They were only just learning to walk. They should have had full lives ahead of them. He just hoped it had been quick and painless for them. That was all he could ask.

What was he thinking? Rhett cursed himself in his own mind. Something had to have been wrong with the tunnel. He must have played a role. What if he had chosen slightly more expensive support beams? Ones that were harder to source now that supplies were hoarded by communities of survivors? Would his family still be alive then? What if he had insisted that Link send the girls to the small community daycare and keep working as his partner, instead of being happy for him to step down and become a stay-at-home dad? Would that have saved them? A million tiny things that he might have done wrong had led to this.

He buried his face in his hands and closed his eyes, but the images that waited there for him made him heave. He wiped the corners of his mouth and sat down on the worn leather couch that took up most of John’s living room. It was going to be a long and miserable night.

————-

It took three days for the building crew to assess the damage and start clearing out the tunnel. Rhett collapsed when he got the news from John. His family had been found. He walked to the medical center with a numb mind and heavy legs, preparing himself for what horrors he might see once he got there.

The last thing he expected was to find Link sitting up on a stretcher with their sleeping daughters tucked against his side. He was covered in dust and hooked up to an IV, and he looked like he hadn’t slept in months, but he was very much alive.

Rhett couldn’t find words. He ran the few steps it took to cross the room and engulfed Link into a bone-crushing hug as relief in the form of tears streamed from his eyes. He buried his face in Link’s shoulder and cried for all he was worth. After several minutes, Link guided him to sit on the stretcher beside him, and Rhett pulled him back into his arms. Link was obviously weak after days of not eating or drinking. If it had taken the crew much longer to find him and the girls, they probably wouldn’t have made it, but Rhett couldn’t think like that anymore. They were here, in front of him now.

“Are the girls okay?” he asked, when he finally found his voice. He could see that they were both breathing, and that had dampened his immediate fears, but it was strange that neither had woken despite all of the movement.

“Yes.” Link’s voice was soft and hoarse. “The doctor gave them something to make them sleepy so they wouldn’t pull on their IVs. Laura is a little more dehydrated than Emily, but they’re both going to be fine. We can actually leave as soon as we get all of our fluid and the doctor checks us again. The girls be so happy to see you when they wake up. They kept asking me where you were.”

“How did you make it?” Rhett asked, as he gently stroked Link’s hip. There was an immense warmth and joy in his heart at finding his family alive, and he couldn’t keep his hands to himself. If they weren’t in a shared room, he would lie Link down on the stretcher and kiss every inch of his precious skin.

“I don’t really know, Rhett. Luck, I guess. We managed to get into the bedroom closet before the house completely collapsed, and it held up pretty well, so we had a little bit of space to move around, but it was awful. Pitch black and cold, and the girls wouldn’t stop crying. I didn’t think anyone would ever find us.”

“You’re so brave and strong. I couldn’t have stood it. I barely stood it as it was. I was so worried about you.” Rhett kissed Link gently. His lips were dry and badly chapped, but it was the best kiss that Rhett had ever shared with him. It was even better than the kiss that had sealed their marriage. Holding and kissing Link almost didn’t feel real. It was a miracle that Link and the girls had survived. Rhett had been so sure that Link had died, and he could only hope that all of the nasty images that had plagued him over the last few days would disappear now that he knew his family was safe.

They spoke quietly for a long time, sharing their experiences and trading kisses and reassuring touches. When Emily started to stir, Rhett gently cradled her in his arms. “Dada is here, sweetie,” he whispered as she woke. He just about melted when she smiled and reached for a hug.

It would take time for things to feel normal again. Rhett had a house and a community to help rebuild, but he knew that he could do anything with his family by his side. He was so lucky to have them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this was another fic where Rhett thinks Link died, but he didn’t. I swear I’ll branch out and write something different for the next chapter...maybe. Sorry. Lol.


	3. And Time (Delirium)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 Prompt: Delirium
> 
> Today, we have a sickfic.

Rhett woke to the sounds of quiet murmuring. He forced his eyes open, wincing at the bright overhead lights. He was in an unfamiliar room, but one of the voices was easily recognizable. “Link?” he rasped, as he let his heavy eyelids fall closed again. The air around him was hot and sticky, and it took an unsettling amount of effort to draw enough air into his lungs.

There was the soft sound of footsteps, and then fingers curled around his hand. “Oh, Rhett, you’re awake. How do you feel?” Link asked. He brushed Rhett’s hair out of his face with a gentle touch and then rested his palm against his cheek. “Do you know where you are?”

“No,” Rhett croaked. “Your hands are cold.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Link said. He took his hands away, and Rhett whined at the loss of contact. “You’re in the hospital. Y- You collapsed this morning after breakfast. I had to call an ambulance.” There was a pause and a shaky intake of breath. “They say your flu turned into pneumonia, but you’re going to be okay. They’re trying to get your fever down now.”

Rhett pulled in another painful breath. Link’s words skittered over his ears like leaves in a breeze. He could hear the pain in Link’s voice and knew that he was upset and worried, but he wasn’t sure why. He couldn’t do anything to help. He was dizzy even with his eyes closed, and it was hard to muster enough energy to talk. It felt like Link was sitting on his chest, but not in a good way. He turned his hand palm up and sighed in relief when Link took it again, a beacon of comfort in the overheated room.

As the day wore on, Rhett drifted between consciousness and sleep. Link stayed by his side, squeezing his hand hard when a doctor came in and told them that Rhett’s temperature was rising again. He wasn’t responding to the antibiotics they were giving him. Rhett’s chest ached deep inside with an intensity that made him feel like he’d cracked all of his ribs, and it was hard to focus on anything for more than a second through the pain. Even his own thoughts were fleeting and unfocused. It was easier to give in to sleep than to try to fight.

Sometime later, he came to with cold cloths pressed to his face and chest. He shivered violently at the shock. “What-“

“Shh, sweetheart. You’re okay,” Link whispered. “Just trying to cool you off. The nurse said it might help you feel better. Do you want me to stop?”

“Mmm…” He lost track of his words, and it felt like hours passed before the cold cloths disappeared from his skin.

Time passed both slowly and in no time at all as Rhett lied in the hospital bed. He woke for brief moments, usually to find Link holding his hand, or one of the nurses or doctors poking at him with needles and prodding him to answer questions. When they left him alone, he drifted back into sleep again. There were tubes on his face and in his arm, and one time he woke to find a steaming machine that hissed angrily strapped to his face. It made his mouth taste funny. He tried to shake the mask off, but it was like it was stuck to his sweat dampened skin.

The next time he woke, it was to a soft voice. “Rhett, the nurse brought you a nutrition shake. Can you try to drink some of it for me?” 

Rhett grumbled under his breath as he opened his eyes to see who was asking. Link was perched on the bed beside him, offering him a reusable plastic cup with an oversized bendy straw. Rhett could see the pain he felt his in his chest echoed on Link’s face, and it made his heart ache. If drinking a shake would make Link happy, he would do it. He opened his lips and let Link put the straw in his mouth. He swallowed a few sips of the shake, relishing the feeling of cool liquid on his parched throat.

When he finished the shake, Link sat the cup aside and lied down beside him on the bed. Rhett focused on him, trying to find the words to thank him for the drink. Link’s eyes were red and his cheeks damp. He’d been crying. “S’okay. I’ll be okay,” he whispered, and frowned when his words made Link’s eyes fill with fresh tears.

“That’s right, Rhett. You’re going to be just fine. Everyone is keeping a good eye on you, and the medicine they have you on now is working, so don’t you worry, sweetheart. Just rest and let us take care of you.” Despite his words, Link continued to cry.

“Link, s’okay,” Rhett said. He knew he was sick, but it wasn’t that bad. He was just tired, that’s all. He reached for Link and hummed when Link got the message and snuggled against his side, burying his face in the crook of his arm. Rhett stroked Link’s back while he cried. It was still hard to breathe, but lying close to Link was comfortable instead of smothering. It wasn’t so hot anymore, and that was a relief. He drifted back to sleep with a feeling that things were about to get better.

And slowly, Rhett did get better. He spent more and more time awake and less time sleeping, and he wasn’t confused anymore. He still felt like death warmed over, but at least time had righted itself. He had been in the hospital for a week before his fever had finally stayed down without medication. His lungs were weak, and his body was fragile, but he was going to be okay.

The day Rhett finally got to go home, Link settled him down on the couch with a blanket. He sat beside him and crossed his legs. He pulled Rhett into his arms and held him close, gently rocking him back and forth. Rhett hugged him back tightly, grateful to have the strength to do so. It felt good to be out of the hospital, but being at home didn’t quite feel real yet.

“We’re never skipping our flu shots again,” Link said, after a few minutes. He snorted a laugh, but Rhett knew that he wasn’t really joking.

“Agreed.” He kissed the underside of Link’s jaw. “I knew I was going to be fine, but I don’t ever want to worry you like that again.”

“Mmm-hmm. Sure you did.” Link gently poked Rhett’s side. “I’m so glad you were right. I love you, Rhett.”

Rhett smiled. “I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know, I’m trying. Thanks for reading! Comments are always welcomed and appreciated. :)


	4. Need You (Touch-Starved)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 is Prompt 14 from the Alternative Prompts List: Touch-Starved
> 
> Waning for mild adult content and homophobia. This one is a recent college graduates AU. I’m honestly not happy with it, but here it is.

Link sighed and rolled over, looking at the alarm clock on the little table next to his bed. It was almost two in the morning, and he was still wide awake. It had been exactly one month since he and Rhett had graduated from college. One month since their relationship had ended and they had gone back home to their parents’ houses to live while they looked for work.

It was for the best. Well, Rhett said it was, and Link couldn’t argue with his logic. They had been able to be a couple at school, holding hands and making out around campus, and sharing a tiny twin bed at night. Living out their dreams together. At home, it wasn’t safe for them to be together, not even in secret. There were no authority figures to step in and protect them from society’s worst. Link had been willing to take the risk and tell their families, but Rhett had shut down that idea quickly.

After four years of sharing a life and a bed with Rhett, Link couldn’t sleep well without Rhett’s long arms wrapped security around him. Sometimes he managed to drift off into a light sleep, but sleep was impossible on other nights. Tonight, there was a new depth to the heaviness in his chest that had been there for weeks. He had cried more tears than he knew he had in him over the past month, but somehow there were always more. He buried his face in his pillow to dampen the sounds of his sniffles. His body ached to be touched by Rhett, in friendly ways and in more intimate ways. It had been far too long since he had last felt Rhett come inside of him. His own hand was useless at relieving that urge. How could he go the rest of his life alone like this?

A sudden burst of desperation led him to get out of bed and grab the brand new cell phone that he had gotten for his big graduation gift. Rhett had gotten one too. They talked to each other on them sometimes, but never about the things that Link most wanted to talk about.

“Hello?” Rhett answered on the fourth ring. The familiar sound of his raspy sleepy voice made butterflies dance in Link’s stomach. It had been far too long since he had last heard it.

“Hey, Rhett. It’s me,” Link said, keeping his voice low. “Sorry to call you so late, or early, I guess. Did I wake you up?”

“Do you know what time it is?” Rhett hissed. “Of course you woke me up. Listen, I’ve got a job interview first thing in the morning, so there had better be a good reason why you’re calling. I need my sleep, man.”

“Sorry.” Link chewed his bottom lip as more tears filled his eyes. This was going wrong already. “I just called because I can’t sleep. I miss you so much.”

Rhett sighed, clearly frustrated. “We can hang out after my interview if you want. Maybe get breakfast at that new coffee place by the bank?”

“No, Rhett.” Link sighed. “I mean, yeah, sure. But I miss you. I can barely sleep without you here beside me, and I’m totally exhausted. I don’t think I can go on pretending that we’re just friends anymore.” His voice broke on the last word. “This whole month has been torture for me.”

Rhett was silent for a long time. Just when Link was about to say something else, Rhett spoke. “We had our time, but it’s over now. It has to be, and you know that. We don’t have a choice. My family will hate me if they ever find out. The whole town will hate us.”

“I know.” It took everything Link had not to ask why he wasn’t worth all of that. It was a selfish question, and he really wanted to be selfish, but he couldn’t do that to Rhett.

“If we came out to our families and something bad happened to you because of that choice, I’d never forgive myself,” Rhett said. His voice went even softer. “Never.”

Link rolled his eyes. He was so tired of Rhett’s overprotective crap. He wasn’t a kid anymore, for Pete’s sake. “It wouldn’t be your fault if something happened, you know.”

“Maybe not, but I’d feel like it was.” Rhett sighed. “You know what might help? You should try to meet a nice girl you can be happy with. I’ve been out a few times already. I think things might be getting more serious between me and one of them already, if you know what I mean.”

Link’s blood turned to ice in his veins at the suggestiveness in Rhett’s voice. He tried frantically to remind himself that they weren’t together anymore, and Rhett was allowed to date other people, but his heart didn’t get the message. He burst into loud sobbing tears, no longer caring if anyone heard him. His heart was breaking.

“Sorry, Link,” Rhett said, and then he hung up the phone.

Link sat his phone down and rolled over, curling up against his pillow as his breath came in gasps. Why had he called Rhett? He thought maybe he would feel better if he talked to him, but instead he just felt worse. Rhett was already moving on and leaving him in the dust. Link cried himself out as he imagined Rhett being with women, sharing his life and his body with them like he used to share those things with Link. He felt like throwing up.

Link stood to grab his trash can just in case, when there was a soft tap on his window. It was probably a bird. He pushed his blinds open to look out, and almost screamed when he found himself face-to-face with Rhett. Rhett gave him a small wave. “Let me in,” he mouthed.

Link moved to do so, quickly sliding the window up and letting Rhett through. “What are you doing here?” he asked, as Rhett stepped inside.

“Oh, Link. The way you were crying on the phone... I've never heard you cry like that before. It sounded like your insides were being scooped out or something. I couldn’t stay away.” Rhett held his hands out to Link. “Can I hug you? Please, baby?”

Link nodded against his better judgment, the pet name warming him inside. He found himself engulfed in Rhett’s arms. He relaxed into the hug, the tension in his body loosening. Hugging Rhett felt like coming home after a long vacation. Link blinked quickly, trying to stop more tears from falling, but it was hopeless. “Sorry. I- I can’t stop,” he said, blushing as more tears trailed down his cheeks.

“Shh. Shh, baby. It’s okay, I’m here.” Rhett pressed a kiss to the top of Link’s head, holding him tightly until his tears slowed. “I’m right here.”

“Are you really getting serious with someone else?” Link hated himself for asking the question, but he had to know.

“No. I just said that because I thought it might make it easier for you.” Rhett kissed Link’s hair again. “You are the only one I want. I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

“Asshole,” Link murmured into Rhett’s shoulder. He took a deep breath. “I’ve missed getting to hold you like this.”

“Me too. I’ve missed you like crazy.” Rhett slowly pulled away from Link. “I don’t want to be just friends either. I know we said we didn’t want to sneak around and risk getting caught, but I’ve changed my mind. We’ll have to be careful, but that’s okay.”

“Really? You mean it?” Link held his breath as he waited for the answer.

“I really mean it.” Rhett reached out and touched Link’s arm, squeezing gently. “I was wondering how you would feel if I stayed here tonight? We can set your alarm clock, and I’ll leave before your mom gets up.”

“Yes, please, but it will be dawn in a few hours. What will we do? Talk about how to keep this a secret?” Link raised his eyebrows.

“Well, maybe a little, and hopefully you’ll get some good sleep out of it. But first, maybe something else? I get the impression you’ve been starved for your boyfriend's touch?”

Link grinned as he leaned up to kiss Rhett, his heart warm. His future was suddenly looking a whole lot brighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10/09/19: I have decided to go ahead and admit that I wasn’t prepared enough to successfully complete Whumptober this year. I’ve fallen a few days behind, and my writing time is very limited right now, so I’m giving up. I might try again next year, but next time I will definitely pre-write and also try to plan better. However, I have decided that I want to try to write some short and fluffy autumn/fall themed fics over the next few months, so keep an eye out for those if you’re interested!


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